Call for Exhibition & Creative Project Proposals 2027
Northart invites artists, curators, collectives, and community groups working across all contemporary visual arts disciplines to submit proposals for exhibitions and creative projects as part of our 2027 programme.
As Kaipātiki's community art gallery, Northart has championed contemporary art and creative participation for more than 25 years. While the redevelopment of Northcote Town Centre continues, we are proudly based at our 26 m² Satellite Gallery at 1 Ernie Mays Street. We treat this interim period as a reason to extend our reach outward across Kaipātiki — through pop-up, offsite, and public-space programming — rather than as a constraint on what we can offer.
Alongside exhibitions in the Satellite Gallery, we are therefore particularly interested in projects that extend beyond the gallery walls: proposals that activate public spaces, build partnerships with local organisations, and create meaningful opportunities for people to experience and participate in contemporary art throughout Kaipātiki.
Our kaupapa
Our vision is a thriving arts hub that represents, connects, and inspires the Kaipātiki community and beyond. Our mission is to enhance the economic and cultural well-being of Aotearoa New Zealand's arts community by championing diverse arts projects in Kaipātiki. Reflecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi values, we advocate for community-led engagement and cooperation to cultivate creative, inclusive spaces and support artists and audiences alike to enjoy and celebrate the arts.
Four values — ngā mātāpono — guide how we work: aroha, auaha, kotahitanga, and tuakiritanga. Our kaupapa is to make contemporary art accessible, relevant, and inclusive for all members of our community, regardless of background, abilities, or cultural identity.
Our goals — what your project contributes to
Northart's programme is delivered under our Strategic Plan and our business plan with Auckland Council and the Kaipātiki Local Board. Every project we present contributes to our four goals, and strong proposals will show clearly how the project helps deliver one or more of them:
1 To improve economic outcomes for artists and arts educators — exhibitions, classes, development opportunities, commissions, and the chance to profile and sell work.
2 To connect and amplify creativity across Kaipātiki — collaboration and co-creation with community organisations, schools, marae, rōpū and mana whenua, and community-led activities.
3 To make art and artistic expression part of everyday life — participation events, community events, and art in public and unexpected places.
4 To develop community connections through activities and participation — welcoming new neighbours and new audiences, and creating opportunities for diverse communities to take part.
Programme priorities for 2027
Within these goals, we particularly encourage proposals that:
– engage directly with the Kaipātiki community, in public, outdoor, or unexpected spaces
– are Māori-led or deliver Māori outcomes — our programme includes a dedicated annual Māori-led exhibition slot, and we welcome projects developed with mana whenua, marae, and kōhanga reo networks
– reflect and involve Kaipātiki's Chinese and migrant communities, including bilingual approaches and work by migrant-background artists
– are inclusive by design — child-inclusive, accessible to all abilities, and open to people who face cost or caregiving barriers to participation
– build partnerships across communities, organisations, and creative disciplines — including community houses, schools, rest homes, and disability services
– align with Auckland and national festivals and events — for example the Auckland Arts Festival, Auckland Festival of Photography, Matariki, Puanga, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and cultural festivals such as the Lantern Festival, Pasifika Festival, and Diwali Festival — timing your project with a festival extends its audience and lets us leverage regional promotion
– create opportunities for participation, learning, and dialogue for all ages.
Exhibitions are normally supported by two to three workshops or participation activities, and we will work with you to develop and deliver these. Proposals may be for the Satellite Gallery, for offsite or public-space projects, or for a combination of both. Please note the Satellite Gallery is an intimate 26 m² space; proposals should be scaled with this in mind, or make the case for an offsite or public-space format.
If you are keen to put forward your proposal please fill in the form below. Submissions are open now until 13th September..
A downloadable copy of the full call for proposals is here